Why I love the internet....

Before Isabella was born, the computer served one purpose, and that purpose was for writing research papers. By the way, I love writing research papers and I love MLA formatting--weird, I know, but I guess that's why my degree is in English. Unless I was writing, I was never on the computer and never on the internet unless of course I was searching JSTOR for scholarly and peer-reviewed articles. Then, Isabella was born, (yes, she was born one month after I graduated from my fifth year in college--talk about timing) and I found myself alone at home, with a baby who didn't do anything fun yet, so we started paying for internet access and I felt connected to the outside world...from my desk...how ironic. Anyway, all that to say, I love the internet now. Do you want to know why? Well, for lots of reasons, too many to bore you with, but the main one these days has to do with the craniosynostosis support system I've found. Recently on Facebook, a mom whose baby was newly diagnosed with metopic synostosis was asking for information about what to expect on the day of surgery, and I was so thankful that I was able to send her message and share our experience with Isaac. I love that I meet people (virtually of course) from all over the world who have had the same experience and that we can share our stories and help each other.

If you live in Ohio, you know that February usually begins a case of the winter blues. I think especially this year considering it started snowing at the beginning of November and has pretty much been snowing ever since. Like everyone else, I am so anxious for spring to arrive. Seriously, every time I look at the trees I picture those first little buds--I love those! I think that's my favorite day of the year, when those first green buds pop out on the branches.

I'm known for my lack of a green thumb and admit to being able to keep people and dogs alive but nothing else. But this year, I'm going to change all of that and I'm super excited about it! My father-in-law has a large garden in his backyard and we just so happen to live next door, so we reap the benefits of what he grows, which includes but is not limited to: raspberries, blueberries, tomatoes, zucchini, green peppers, hot peppers, pears, apples, blackberries (at his farm--I've been dreaming about these lately), rhubarb, and a host of other things. So, I'm feeling inspired to grow something and Isabella and I are excitedly planning what we want to grow. Now, I'll keep you posted when this all comes to fruition. Knowing nothing about flowers aside from the fact that I like to buy them at Heinens and then thank Walter later for the beautiful flowers that he so thoughtfully bought for me, I planted these flowers, I think they were cosmos, that were initially very small looking weeds (as Walter called them) and quickly grew to six feet tall or more! At one point we had to tie them back so that people could get to our front door. I will not make that mistake again this year. At least my mother in law and I had a good laugh about it and Walter and I joked that we were just trying to discourage people from coming to our front door. Anyway, I'm excited about my future garden, and sunshine, and flowers, and the color green!

On long days, or mornings when we need to get out of the house, we bundle up and go for a walk in the woods behind our house...

Isaac wasn't very happy the other day so he quietly sat in the sled sucking on his pacifier...

a cool piece of wood...

more wood...

Isaac is supposed to be listening to the story...

I walked into the office one morning to find all of the creatures sound asleep...I guess cars sleep upside down...

I was very frustrated with the shoe pile up by our back door and told Walter he should make a shelf for me. So like any good husband he headed out to the workshop and came back with this (thanks Babe!)...

Isabella's first attempt at writing her name!

Happy Birthday Jesse!

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I think Stella is embarrassed to have a hat on her head.

But she is very proud to have a block on her head.

I love when she's laughing...

Where's Isaac!

Peek-a-Boo!

Repeat ten times...

Our nights with Isaac usually look like this...

so a few nights ago, we turned on some music and Walter did this...

And while on a very miraculous day where all of the stars aligned and both kids took a nap at the same time, I read a book and Stella slept upside down...